The NHL announced its three Selke Trophy nominees. Florida Panthers leader Aleksander Barkov, Toronto Maple Leafs sensation Auston Matthews, and Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal are also candidates.
The Selke Trophy goes "to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game." Professional Hockey Writers Association members will choose this year's Selke Trophy winner.
Barkov, 28, had another great Panthers season with 23 goals, 80 points, and a plus-33 rating. He was again an NHL best defensive forward in 2023-24, contributing offensively. He excelled at the dot, winning 57.3% of draws.
The Selke Trophy is familiar to Barkov. The Panthers forward won the accolade for the first time in 2020-21. He placed third in 2021-22 Selke vote.
Matthews, 26, is undoubtedly lauded for his offense. This season, he led the NHL with 69 goals and 107 points. He also improved defensively this season. His 85 takeaways and 93 blocks ranked second among NHL forwards.
Matthews' Selke finalist debut. Given his outstanding defense this season, he has a good chance of winning.
This season, 35-year-old Staal scored 10 goals and 30 points in 80 Hurricanes games. He wasn't as productive as Barkov and Matthews, but he was great defensively.
He led all Hurricanes forwards in shorthanded ice time and was the core of their penalty-killing team. His 58.1% faceoff win rate was remarkable.